The Grayson's Last Flight
by Batgirl2013
Summary: This is the story of why Robin came to be a hero. Character death, Sad scenes and a bit of Daddy!Bats in here.


This was originally an essay for school but, I put it on here, all my hard work so people other than my teachers can read and...well read it. Be warned there is character death and a sad Richard.

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The Grayson's Last Flight

In the striped red and white circus tent, everyone was preparing for the show. This time the circus was taking place in Gotham City. The vendors were making the pretzels and popping the popcorn. Its buttery smell quickly filled the air. The clowns were practicing their act in the ring. Haly, the ringmaster, was in his office doing paperwork. The strongman and sword- swallower were watching the animal trainer washing his elephant with the help of the seven year old Richard Grayson, or Dick as everyone called him. His parents were sewing up his leotard for their family acrobatic act.

"Zitka! Stop tickling me," Little Richard squealed as the elephant's nose checked the boy's pockets for peanuts.

"She really likes you Dick. Maybe you could help me fit her harness on after we're done here." Wilhelm asked Dick as he dried off Zitka's neck. "It's in my trailer, I had to polish it and left it there."

Dick's face brightened, "Sure I'll go get it right now. Bye Mr. Jacques. Bye Mr. Muscles." Dick waved at the onlookers and skipped out the door as fast as he could go. He passed a couple of men going into Haly's office and bumped face-first into one.

The tall man growled, "Hey watch where you're goin' kid." Dick stumbled a bit regaining his balance and looked up at the man.

"Sorry Mister, I'll try not to do it again," and then Dick raced off to find Zitka's harness.

Once in Wilhelm's trailer, Dick walked up and down the cramped trailer; looked high and low for the harness. After checking everything for the umpteenth time he sat defeated on the bed.

"Where could it be?" Dick leaned back a bit to think but hit his head on a hard lump on the bed. "I found it!" He exclaimed, excitedly pulling the sheets back to find the newly discovered object in sight. He happily snatched it from its resting place and sprinted off the way he came. He stopped again however near Mr. Haly's office when he heard the man from before.

"Come on Haly, we can't guarantee the circus's protection if you don't give us the money." A loud clap on wood was heard before the man was interrupted by Haly's thundering voice. "I don't need your protection Zucco. Now get out before I call the police." Loud steps approached the door.

"Ok but there'll be some accidents tonight, I'll tell ya that Haly. You'll regret not payin' us." As the man, Zucco, Opened the door he walked right into poor Richard who was listening intently on the whole ordeal. Zucco picked Dick up by the scrap of his collar and looked him in the eye menacingly, "Hey kid, didn't I tell ya not-"

"You put him down right now Tony or I'm calling the cops." Haly interrupted. Tony put Dick down and left the circus.

"Uncle Haly, what was that about?" Dick asked innocently wondering why these men asked Haly for money, and so rudely too. Didn't they know how to say please?

Haly's expression changed from anger to the look of a kind and caring man, "It was nothing Dick, don't worry why don't you go help Zitka put that on?" Haly ruffled Dick's hair a bit and Dick ran back to where Zitka and Wilhelm were waiting for him.

Back at the tent Dick had already attached Zitka's harness on and Wilhelm left to prepare for the show. Dick went to his family trailer to check up on his parents.

"Hi Mom, how's my costume goin'?" Dick asked.

"It's all done my little bird. Today you're finally going to fly with us. You're doing so well and finally got the quadruple flip mastered." Dick's mom, Mary Grayson, praised her son. "Look at your new costume it's exactly like ours." She gave him the suit to try on. "It fits perfectly mom! I don't know how you did it. I love it, I can't wait for tonight. Where's dad I wanna show him too!" Little Richard was shaking with excitement.

Mary chuckled at her son's exuberance, "He's practicing on the trapeze." Richard flipped out the door and ran to his father who was climbing off the trapeze. Dick tackled his father in a big hug. His father, John Gryason, smiled and greeted Dick, "Hello Dickie bird, I see your mother gave you your new suit. Today a special day, Bruce Wayne, the billionaire, is going to be in the audience and it's also your big debut!" Dick's smile filled up half of his face. I'll go get ready now dad." And they both went back to preparing for the big night.

Once Dick had gotten ready he waited near the main show tent for his cue. His family was the second to last event. The last one was for the whole circus to perform together. He watched all the acts before he was supposed help set up his debut. He watched the clowns run around the floor hitting each other with rubber chickens and making the audience laugh. He watched the Mr. Muscle, the muscle man, lift the clowns who were standing on a platform throwing pies at each other. Cream spewed everywhere but then the fire breather came to 'break up' the fight by breathing fire in between the two clowns who then stopped their feud. Then they all bowed to the audience and left the stage to help prepare for the acrobat act which was The Flying Grayson's act.

As Dick was setting up the ropes some men he saw in front Haly's office were playing with the ropes. They were whispering something.

"That'll show'em not to mess with us" One of them said as he put a knife into his pocket. Then both men left as Dick's parents came to usher Dick onto the trapeze.

"Come on Dickie it's time," Mary said softly.

"Mom, who were those men who just left? One of them had a knife." Dick asked.

Mary had a worried look on her face but still managed a smile, "Those men were setting up our ropes. Now come on, we can't be late." With that Richard, Mary, and John climbed up on the trapeze and waited for Haly to introduce them.

"Now, folks, the act that made Haly's Circus famous: The Flying Graysons! These acrobats do death-defying acts on this trapeze. And today, they'll do these acts without a net!" Haly directed the spotlight to Dick and his parents who waved at the audience.

First John grabbed the first rung and jumped of the platform flipped to the next rung and onto the other platform. Mary then grabbed a rung at the same time John did and they swung towards each other. A faint crack sounded from Mary's trapeze. She performed a double flip and grabbed onto John's legs. Then they both used the momentum to do a triple flip back onto the first rung and swung towards the platform that Dick was standing on.

The audience watched with intense vigor as the two Grayson's neared the platform. It was Dick's turn to jump on but as his parents neared, a loud ominous crack resounded from the trapeze and his parents started to fall. He reached out to try and grab them but was too late. His mother's mouth was opened into an 'o' shape. The audience gasped as the horrific crash sounded. Dick, feeling helpless, scrambled down the platform to a most gruesome sight. His parents were on the floor surrounded in a pool of glistening red, looking similar to fallen dolls. Dick kneeled next to his parent's side as the circus quickly cleared. He was in shock but still aware of what happened. "Mom, Dad, get up. Come on, you guys have to get up."

Haly walked up behind him and put a comforting hand on Dick's shoulder, "I'm sorry Dick but they're gone." Dick got up and ran out past Haly as the ambulance came to take to the bodies.

Dick collapsed in tears underneath a tree in front of the circus. He curled up into a ball as a man in an expensive looking suit came. "I know just how you feel buddy." Dick was awestruck, how could anyone know how he felt? Yet Dick still managed to croak out, "How?"

The man enclosed his arms around Dick and pulled the seven year old into a hug. He rubbed the boy's back as Dick cried into the man's shoulder. "My parent's died in front of me when I was about your age too." The man cringed at the memory, there had been so much blood, so much pain in that memory. "I'm Bruce Wayne, by the way."

Dick remembered his manners and replied, "My name is Richard but everyone calls me Dick." The boy dried his tears. Bruce made a small smile, "Let's go back, they're probably looking for you." Bruce picked up Dick and made his way back to the tent.

The police were already there assessing the murder and child protection was looking for a suitable home for Dick now that his parents passed. They were talking to Haly about putting Dick up for adoption when Bruce came in with Dick. "I'll take him." Everyone looked at Bruce in shock. One worker broke the awkward deafening silence produced by Bruce.

"Excuse me sir but yo-" "I'm taking him as my ward and that's final. Please send the adoption papers to my lawyer." Bruce interrupted. Mr. Haly bent down to talk to Dick, "Well Dickie we can't keep you, but Mr. Wayne here is going to keep you. He'll keep you happy. You should say goodbye to everyone and pack up all your things."

Once Dick had said his goodbyes and packed the little things he did have, he made one last look at his trailer, and walked out. Zitka stopped him to say goodbye. She wrapped her trunk around Dick's small frame in a hug. "Goodbye Zitka, I'll come back again one day," Zitka released the boy and allowed him to leave the circus. This wouldn't be the last time she would see him.

Five years later one night at the Gotham Cemetery, a figure drops his head in mourning to two tombstones. He kneels down to lay two roses on the graves. He gets up and leaves into the darkness. Memories of the circus he once belonged to cling in his mind. But now isn't the time to dwell on such thoughts. That incident is why he fights crime, to prevent others from sharing his fate. The Grayson's Last Flight is why Dick Grayson became Robin: The Boy Wonder.

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So that's the end of the whole story, Drop a review to let me know if you liked it, or if you didn't please say so too! I can't get better if someone doesn't tell me what I do wrong, or you can say hi! Either way thanks for reading!


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